The oldest city on earth. The oldest city in the world: what is it

June 7th, 2012

Here is such a simple question. What city is the oldest? Not so easy the very first city that appeared on our planet, but with a city that, from the moment of its foundation, was constantly inhabited.

Most often, the most ancient city, safely existing to this day, is the Palestinian town of Jericho, which appeared in the Copper Age (9000 BC).

After the exodus from Egypt and the death of Moses, the Israelites were led by Joshua. According to the will of Yahweh, he led them to conquer Canaan. For some reason, the first city on his way turned out to be Jericho (the question has not been clarified to this day): he did not at all lie either on the path from Egypt or on the path from the desert. From time immemorial, the fortress was considered impregnable, so Jesus sent scouts. Obviously, the scouts confirmed the worst fears of the Israelites regarding the power of the walls of Jericho, for the siege tactics chosen by Jesus the commander have no analogues in world history.

After celebrating the Passover, Jesus forced the entire male population of Israel to undergo a rite of circumcision that had not been practiced since the Exodus. After that, the Israelites walked at a safe distance around the walls of Jericho for six days. The procession was led by warriors, men followed them and doomedly blew pipes and pipes, followed by the priests carrying the ark, and closing this procession were old men, women and children. Only 4 million people, everyone was ominously silent, only the howling and whistling of the pipes resounded the air. The besieged observed with great surprise such a strange method of siege, suspecting the magical meaning of what was happening, but did not surrender to the mercy of God's chosen people.

On the seventh day, Joshua (by the way, in violation of the covenant to rest on the seventh day) decided to storm. The Israelites circled the walls six times in deathly silence. And on the seventh lap they screamed together and loudly. The walls could not withstand the screams and screams - and collapsed. Probably, along with them, the Canaanites also fainted ... The Israelites broke into the city and killed every single inhabitant, and even animals. Only the prostitute Rahab was spared, who let me spend the night Israeli scouts. The city itself was burned to the ground...

Much effort was expended to find Jericho of Canaan. A lot of energy was expended by researchers in search of Jericho of Israel. The peculiarity of the search was that science tried to reconcile the Bible with history: most archaeologists of the past were Christians. They looked for confirmation of the Old Testament in Egypt and Syria, Babylon and Palestine. From the search for the pharaoh, during which the Exodus from Egypt took place, a whole problem arose, unsolvable for centuries. That is why it was so important to find Jericho - if it existed, it should have stood in its original place, on the Jordan ... True, they had no idea - which one: Canaanite or Israeli Jericho? Neither was found.

Joshua cursed the Canaanite Jericho (Bk. I.N., VI, 25). In the middle of the 19th century, Tobler and Robinson suggested the approximate place where it should have been, this accursed Jericho. Having chosen a hill in the middle of the plain, not far from the Jordan, they began excavations on it and found nothing. In 1868, Warren also dug on the hill, and nothing was found either. In 1894, Blythe drew the attention of scientists to the same hill, believing that Jericho was still hiding under it. And the German archaeologist Sellin in 1899 studied the surface of the hill and discovered several shards of Canaanite dishes. He came to the conclusion that his predecessors were still right: most likely, hidden under the layers ancient city. Moreover, a village called Eriha has been preserved here ... And the Jordan is not far away.

In 1904, the Germans Thirsch and Geliper visited here and collected new data that indicated the correctness of the conclusions of everyone who tried to find Jericho in the vicinity of Erichi. But the honor of the discoverer still belongs to Sellin. In 1907, Sellin obtained materials that confirmed everything that archeology dreamed of: he discovered houses and part of the city wall with a tower (five rows of masonry and adobe masonry 3 meters high). Finally, in 1908, more serious excavations were organized by the East Society of Germany, led by Sellin, Langen-Egger and Watzinger. In 1909 Nöldeke and Schulze joined them.

The hill, resembling an ellipse in plan, stretched from the north-northeast to the south-southwest, the city covered an area of ​​235,000 square meters. Archaeologists unearthed completely (in the north) the width of the city wall, equal to 3 meters, opened the second city wall 1.5 meters wide. Another part of the wall was discovered on the same northern slope of the hill with a stone plinth and adobe masonry 7 meters high. After examining the area of ​​1350 square meters between the city walls and the trial northern excavations, scientists found in upper layers later a Muslim cemetery, and in the lower ones - the remains of city buildings.

Excavations on the western side of the hill have unearthed stone stairs built after the destruction of the city walls, and under the stairs were also the remains of much earlier houses. In the northern part of the hill, the walls of the Hittite building (the Khilani building) were exposed. Closer to the eastern wall, which has not been preserved, are the remains of houses. Not far from the inner city wall are blocks of houses, as well as a street under the wall. On an area of ​​200 square meters to the west, a city wall and the remains of buildings were discovered, and a Byzantine necropolis was found under the wall. Near the southwestern wall, the remains of a house from the Jewish era were unearthed.

Initially, archaeologists counted eight layers, replacing one another: Muslim, the latest, represented by graves; Byzantine layer; late Jewish, with fragments of Attic utensils of the classical era; ancient Jewish (house over an ancient wall); Israeli, which includes the Khilani house, the houses in the center (closer to the missing east wall), graves, stairs, and the outer city wall; late Canaanite (finds between the outer and inner city walls and ceramics); ancient Canaanite - the remains of a city with houses and an outer and inner city wall; finally, the original layer, also divided into several periods, to which the houses under the inner city wall belong, some arrays of bricks to the northwest? ...

Despite the significant shortcomings with which the excavations were carried out, even the fact that scientists certainly wanted to "fit to the Bible" many discoveries, the main contribution of Sellin and his colleagues to science is that the history of Jericho ceased to be calculated from Joshua, and the scientific world received the most ancient city known on Earth, dating back (in the view of the 1920s) to the 4th millennium BC. e.

The city was called Lunar because of the cult of the Moon. The initial and Canaanite periods of Jericho, of which the latter is indicated by the destruction of massive brick walls in the northwest and the erection of two city walls - outer and inner, like two rings. The city was especially impregnable from the east, from where the nomads pestered. The population of the city, both in the initial period and in the Canaanite period, was one and the same. In the oldest layer, tools made of flint, tools made of other stones, the so-called "cup" stones, were found.

After the destruction of the city of the initial period, Jericho moved somewhat to the south of the hill. The Canaanite walls were erected already in the III-II millennium BC. e. Sellin correlated the fact of destruction with the invasion of the “four kings of the East” (Book of Genesis, ch. 14).

The double defensive wall of Jericho is an exception for Palestine. But among the Hittites it was a common method of protection.

Canaanite Jericho is very beautiful. It contains Aegean and Babylonian motifs, although it is mostly independent. In one of the houses, a stone god was found, similar to the products of Gezer. Burials of the Canaanite period were not found in the city. The city was destroyed from the east, where the entire city wall was destroyed, and set on fire (traces of fire are everywhere), after which it remained almost uninhabited for some time. However, part of the population continued to live in Jericho, and archeology connects this with the late Canaanite period. The period is characterized by the so-called impaled ceramics. Sellin believed that this time Jericho was destroyed by the Israelites. During the Israelite era, the Canaanites lived in the city for a long time, until they were completely assimilated with the conquerors. However, excavations at the beginning of the century showed that the late Canaanite period left no traces of the presence of another people. Before the invasion of the Israelites in the middle of the II millennium BC. e. there were still a few centuries left ... Actually, the Israeli layer in Jericho, Sellin himself dated the XI-IX centuries BC. e.

Jericho, Israel, had an unusually lively life. The influence of ties with the Aramaic regions affected. Stairs were built over the ruined walls, and a new imposing wall was erected, the Khilani palace in the Hittite style. Archaeologists have found a lot of multi-colored various ceramics, even stylized as metal. The palace and wall of Israel's Jericho were built by Chiel, probably the viceroy of King Ahab. Jericho became the center of a significant region, and the fortress protected from the Moabites.

In Israeli Jericho, burials were unearthed in the courtyards of houses. Clay vessels were found with the bones. The children were buried under the floor of the houses.

At the end of the 8th century BC. e. the kingdom of Israel perished (722). The walls of Israeli Jericho were destroyed. But the city did not stop its existence. Above it, two of its periods - early and late - lived the Jewish Jericho. The city was no longer fortified, but life was in full swing in it. The early Jewish city was on the eastern slope of the hill. Jericho traded with Cyprus and Egypt. Among the finds are Cypriot vases, Indian ceramics, Attic and Hellenistic vessels, amulets, gods and demons. The city of Judea was destroyed under Sodecius by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, who attacked suddenly: many utensils remained in the houses. The city was burned, and many people were taken into captivity. New Jericho began to be rebuilt in the north (within the former).

In 350 B.C. e. the city was again destroyed, and all the inhabitants were taken into captivity. Until the middle of the II century BC. e. Maccabean city was located 2-3 kilometers northwest of the hill. At the end of the 2nd century, Jericho again came to life, however, also not on a hill, but near Wadi Kelt. But in the year 70 of the 1st century A.D. e. was destroyed by Vespasian. Under Adrian, it was restored. Then the ruins of Khilani were still “alive”, which were revered as “the house of Rahab”. And, although this house is later, it is presented as the house of a traitor to the city, who helped Israel.

In 614 the city was destroyed by the Persians. Traces of the Byzantine period have been preserved: a pottery oven, a lot of dishes - ceramic, glass, bronze, iron ...

The city existed in the 7th-9th centuries, and later. From the 13th century, there was a Muslim village in it, which was demolished by Ibrahim Pasha in the middle of the 19th century ... But life on the hill did not stop: the village of Erich remained ...

As for the Jericho Trumpets, this is probably not a legend, but a remnant of a wonderful ancient knowledge, known then, but forgotten by us. So the ziggurat of Chichen Itza Kukulkan, on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes, “with the accuracy of a Swiss chronometer” (G. Hancock “Traces of the Gods”), on the steps of the northern staircase from triangles of light and shadow, added up the image of a giant wriggling snake. The illusion lasted for three hours and twenty-two minutes... the remarkable temples of Ancient America, according to the enthusiastic recollections of the Indians themselves, were built "to the sound of divine trumpets": the multifaceted block itself fit into a complex geometric masonry. These walls are still standing today. In the same way, to the sounds of the lyre of Orpheus, the stones themselves folded into the walls, and the trees began to dance. Perhaps the walls of Jericho were destroyed in an equally incredible way ... True, the children of Israel had to work hard, carrying the “Holy Ark” around the city for seven whole days ...

Hisham Palace. Mosaic with Goddess.

And, oddly enough, Zellin's research showed that the walls of Jericho did indeed fall! Outer - outward, inner - inward. For several decades, a dispute arose: when? .. And so far there is no consensus on this matter among scientists. We venture to suggest that, nevertheless, at the turn of the XIV-XIII centuries BC. e. this version is not rejected by some experts.

Further events were associated with new discoveries. An accidental grenade explosion on a hill in 1918 unearthed an ancient synagogue.

Clickable 2000 px

Since 1929, excavations in Jericho were led by the Englishman John Gersteng. In 1935-1936, he discovered the lower layers of the Stone Age settlement! People who did not know ceramics already led a sedentary lifestyle. They lived first in round semi-dugouts, and later in rectangular houses. In one of these excavated houses, a front hall with six wooden pillars was found - these are the remains of a temple. Scientists did not find household items here, but they found many animal figurines made of clay: horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, as well as plastic sculptures of fertility symbols. In one of the layers of prehistoric Jericho, life-size group portraits (sculptures) of men, women and children (clay on a reed frame) were found.

Further discoveries in Jericho were made by Cutley Canyon in 1953. It was then that they started talking about Jericho as the oldest city in the world.

Clickable

The fortress of the 8th millennium was surrounded by a thick stone wall with powerful towers, and none of the later cities on this site had such powerful towers. The wall surrounded an area of ​​2.5 hectares, where about 3 thousand people lived. Most likely, they were engaged in the salt trade with Dead Sea.

In addition, ancient Jericho is probably the "ancestors" of the tradition of beheading the dead before burial. Probably, this was associated with the cult of the Moon and symbolized the hopes for rebirth. In any case, the heads were kept (or buried) separately from the body. This custom is still preserved among some peoples.

This was the oldest city on Earth, Jericho.

Due to its geographical location, Jericho has long been the key to the Palestinian Highlands, as many roads converged here. Pilgrims from countries located east of the Jordan gathered in the city when they went to Jerusalem on the days of great temple holidays. Jesus Christ also came here from Nazareth, when he first directed his steps towards the holy city. Not reaching Jericho, the Savior healed a man who was blind from birth, who was sitting by the road and begging.

Clickable 1800 px , panorama

Not far from the market square of modern Jericho stands a hill 20 meters high. It was here at the beginning of the 20th century that what was left of ancient Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world, was discovered. However, on the territory of the excavations, the remains of a powerful tower that has grown deep into the ground also attract attention; and north of the excavations of ancient Jericho are the ruins of the palace of Hisham ibn al-Malik, the Umayyad Caliph of Damascus. This magnificent palace was built in the 8th century, but now scientists have found only the remains of two mosques and several baths. The main attraction of the Hisham Palace are the surviving mosaic paintings: one of them is especially noteworthy, which depicts the “tree of life”, strewn with golden fruits, and a lion attacking gazelles.

On the western border of modern Jericho rises the "Forty-Day Mountain" (its height is 380 m), which is also called the "Mountain of Temptation". It is on this mountain that, according to legend, Jesus Christ, tempted by the devil, fasted for 40 days and 40 nights after his baptism. At the top of the mountain there are ruins of a Byzantine church.

Joshua Nun. The fall Jericho.

On the way to this mountain is the source of the prophet Elisha, and the ruins around it indicate the location of the ancient city, located five miles from the Jordan River. However, some scholars believe that the New Testament Jericho was not located at this place, which may or may not coincide with the location of the small village of Jericho, sometimes called Jericho.

Clickable 1800 px, panorama

Clickable

These cities are the 20 oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth. Visiting them (if, of course, it is even possible) is like taking a trip back in time.

Varanasi, India

When did the first settlers settle here? 1000 BC uh. Located on the western bank of the Ganges, Varanasi, also known as Benares, is holy city for both Hindus and Buddhists. According to legend, it was founded by the Hindu god Shiva 5,000 years ago, although modern scholars believe that the city is only about 3,000 years old. “Benares is older than history, older than tradition, even older than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.” – Mark Twain

Cadiz, Spain

When did the first settlers settle here? 1100 BC uh. Cadiz, standing on a narrow spit of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, has been home to the Spanish navy since the 18th century. It was founded by the Phoenicians as a small trading post, and in 500 BC. e. passed to the Carthaginians, becoming the base for the conquest of Iberia by Hannibal. Then the city was ruled by the Romans, after them by the Moors, and in the era of great geographical discoveries, he experienced a revival. “Noblely Cape St. Vincent in the northwest faded, the sunset in blood-red glory stacked into the fragrant waters of Cadiz” - Robert Browning, English poet and playwright.

Thebes, Greece

The city of Thebes, one of the main competitors of ancient Athens, was the center of the Boeotian League and even supported Xerxes during the Persian invasion in 480 BC. e. Archaeological excavations have shown that the Mycenaean settlement existed here even longer. Today Thebes is just a small trading town. “Sometimes Tragedy in tears tells me about the affairs of the Children of Pelops, and about Thebes, And about the unfortunate Trojans” - John Milton (English poet).

Larnaca, Cyprus

When did the first settlers settle here? 1400 BC uh Founded by the Phoenicians under the name of Kition, Larnaca is well known for its beautiful palm-fringed promenade. Tourists are attracted by archaeological sites and numerous beaches. “The history of this city is too rich. It can cause a kind of mental indigestion.” – Robert Byron (British travel writer)

Athens, Greece

When did the first settlers settle here? 1400 BC uh Athens is the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, and the ancient history of the city is still visible throughout it. It is full of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a very popular tourist destination. “What are the great dangers before me in good name Athens - Alexander the Great.

Balkh, Afghanistan

When did the first settlers settle here? 1500 BC e. Balkh, known to the ancient Greeks as Bactria, is located in northern Afghanistan. The Arabs call it the "Mother of Cities". The city reached its peak of prosperity between 2500 and 1900 BC. e., even before the rise of the Persian and Median empires. Modern Balkh is the center of the region's cotton industry. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. “When we were hunting in Africa, we lost our corkscrew and for several days we lived on water and food only” - William Claude Fields (American actor and writer).

Kirkuk, Iraq

When did the first settlers settle here? 2200 BC uh. Located about 240 km north of Baghdad, Kirkuk stands on the site of the ancient Assyrian capital Arrapha. Its strategic importance was recognized by Babylon and Media, which controlled the city at various points in its history. The ruins of the 5,000-year-old citadel are still visible here, and the city itself now serves as the headquarters of Iraq's oil industry. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

Erbil, Iraq

When did the first settlers settle here? 2300 BC uh. To the north of Kirkuk lies Erbil, which different time Assyrians, Persians, Sassanids, Arabs and Ottomans ruled. It was an important stop on the Silk Road, and the ancient citadel, which rises 26 meters above the ground, still defines its landscape. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

Tire, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 2750 BC uh. The legendary birthplace of Europa and Dido, Tire was founded around 2750 BC. e. It was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. e., and in 64 BC. e. became a Roman province. Today, the city lives mainly on tourism: the Roman Hippodrome in Tire is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Tyre, which distributed crowns, whose merchants were princes" - Bible.

Jerusalem, Middle East

When did the first settlers settle here? 2800 BC uh. spiritual center Jewish people and Islam's third holiest city, Jerusalem is home to several important shrines, including the Dome of the Rock, the Wailing Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. During its history, the city was besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, captured 44 times and completely destroyed twice. "The view of Jerusalem is the history of the world, more than that, it is the history of earth and sky" - Benjamin Disraeli (1st Earl of Beaconsfield, former prime minister Great Britain).

Beirut, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 3000 BC uh. The history of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, as well as its cultural, administrative and economic center, has 5,000 years. Excavations in the city have unearthed remains of Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Arabic and Ottoman cultures, and its name is mentioned in letters to the pharaoh of Egypt as early as the 14th century BC. e. After graduation civil war in Lebanon it has become a lively, modern and attractive city for tourists. “For the diligent student of foreign affairs, Beirut is a phenomenon, perhaps tempting, but completely, completely impossible” - Ian Morris (Welsh historian and travel writer).

Gaziantep, Turkey

When did the first settlers settle here? 3650 BC uh. Gaziantep, a city in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria, has been known since the time of the Hittites. In the center of the city is the citadel of Ravanda, restored by the Byzantines in the 6th century, and excavations have unearthed Roman mosaics here. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. "They have no past, they are not people of history, they exist only in the present" - Samuel Taylor Coleridge (English poet and philosopher).

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

The second largest city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv was originally a Thracian settlement and later one of the important cities of the Roman Empire. Then he fell into the hands of Byzantium, moved to Ottoman Empire, and finally became part of Bulgaria. It is a major cultural center with many ancient ruins, including the remains of a Roman amphitheater and aqueduct and Ottoman baths. “This is the greatest and most beautiful of all cities. Its beauty shines from afar.” – Lucian (Roman writer)

Sidon, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 4000 BC e. About 40 km south of Beirut is Sidon, one of the most important Phoenician cities - and perhaps the oldest. It was the starting point from which the vast Mediterranean empire of the Phoenicians grew. Both Jesus and the apostle Paul are said to have visited Sidon, as did Alexander the Great, who captured the city in 333 BC. e. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. "Few people who are unaccustomed to the local climate manage to avoid a certain kind of rash" - Charles Merion (French artist).

El Fayoum, Egypt

When did the first settlers settle here? 4000 BC uh. El Fayoum, located southwest of Cairo, occupies part of Crocodilopolis, an ancient Egyptian city where the sacred crocodile Sebek was worshipped. Modern El Fayoum consists of several large bazaars, mosques and baths, and nearby are ancient pyramids. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. "Egypt is the gift of the river" - Herodotus (Greek historian).

Susa, Iran

When did the first settlers settle here? 4200 BC uh. Susa was the capital of the Elamite empire. Later, the city was captured by the Assyrians, and then by the Persian dynasty of the Achaemenids under the control of Cyrus the Great. Aeschylus's tragedy The Persians, the oldest play in the history of the theatre, takes place here. Now here is the city of Shush with a population of about 65 thousand people. "Persia, a country surrounded by mountains, open to the sea, a country in the middle of the world" - Francis Bacon (first Viscount of St. Albany, English philosopher and author).

Damascus, Syria

Damascus, which some sources call the oldest city in the world, may have been inhabited as early as 10,000 BC, although this is still a controversial point of view. It became an important settlement under the dominion of the Aramaeans, who built a canal network that still forms the basis of the city's water supply networks. Damascus was one of the great conquests of Alexander the Great, after which he was ruled by the Romans, Arabs and the Ottoman Empire. The city is rich in historical sights, and was a popular tourist destination until the recent unrest. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. “Damascus is a symbol. You could say it's a bunch of characters. This is a symbol of the constancy of physical conditions that have been preserved throughout history; the constancy of the geographical limits of human settlement, government and war" - Hilaire Belloc (Anglo-French writer and historian).

Aleppo, Syria

When did the first settlers settle here? 4300 BC uh. The most populous city in Syria, with a population of about 4.4 million, was founded under the name of Aleppo around 4300 BC. e. The modern city stands in exactly the same place as the ancient one, so it has been little studied by archaeologists. Until about 800 BC. e. the city was under the rule of the Hittites, and then passed through the hands of the Assyrians, Greeks and Persians. The city was occupied by the Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, besieged by the crusaders, it was captured by the Mongols and Turks. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

Byblos, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 5000 BC uh. Founded by the Phoenicians as Gebal, Byblos got its name from the Greeks, who imported papyrus from the city. The word Bible comes from Greek name cities. key tourist attractions include ancient Phoenician temples, the fortress and church of John the Baptist built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, and the old medieval city wall. Among the more modern spectacles - international festival Byblos, where bands such as Keane and Jethro Tull perform.

Jericho, Palestine

When did the first settlers settle here? 9000 BC uh. According to our sources, it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of 20 settlements in Jericho, the oldest of which is 11 thousand years old. The city, where about 20 thousand people live today, is located near the Jordan River in the West Bank. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

In the course of the development of civilization, people united their scattered dwellings. This is how cities were born. History erected great settlements and just as ruthlessly wiped them off the face of the Earth. Only a few cities have been able to go through the centuries, having endured all the blows of fate. The walls stood in the sun and rain, they saw how the ages came and went.

These cities became silent witnesses of how our civilization was reborn and fell into decay. Today, not all the great cities of the past continue to give shelter to people, many simply lie in ruins or have completely disappeared from the face of the Earth.

The British newspaper "The Guardian" has chosen the 15 most ancient cities in the world, each of which has its own unique architecture and unusual history. These places have such an ancient history that only approximate dates can be given, historians are arguing around them. So where does a person live continuously the longest?

Jericho, Palestinian Territories. This settlement appeared here 11 thousand years ago. This is the oldest residential city in the world, which was repeatedly mentioned in the Bible. Jericho is also known in ancient texts as the "city of palm trees". Archaeologists have found here the remains of 20 successive settlements, which made it possible to determine the venerable age of the city. The city is located near the Jordan River, on the western bank. Even today, about 20 thousand people live here. And the ruins of ancient Jericho are located west of the center of the modern city. Archaeologists have been able to find here the remains of a large tower from the pre-ceramic Neolithic period (8400-7300 BC). Jericho keeps burials of the Chalcolithic period, city walls from the Bronze Age. Perhaps it was they who fell from the loud trumpets of the Israelites, giving rise to the phrase "Jericho trumpets." In the city you can find the ruins of the winter palace-residence of King Herod the Great with swimming pools, baths, lavishly decorated halls. The mosaic on the floor of the synagogue dating back to the 5th-6th centuries has also been preserved here. And at the foot of the Tel-as-Sultan hill is the source of the prophet Elisha. Historians believe that the hills adjacent to Jericho hide many archaeological treasures comparable to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

Byblos, Lebanon. The settlement in this place is already about 7 thousand years old. The city of Gebal, mentioned in the Bible, was founded by the Phoenicians. His other name, Byblos (Byblos), he received from the Greeks. The fact is that the city supplied them with papyrus, which was called “byblos” in Greek. The city has been known since the 4th millennium BC. Byblos became famous for its temples of Baal, the cult of the god Adonis was born here. It was from here that it spread to the territory of Greece. The ancient Egyptians wrote that it was in this city that Isis found the body of Osiris in a wooden box. The main tourist attractions of the city are the ancient Phoenician temples, the temple of St. John the Baptist, built by the Crusaders in the XII century, the city castle and the remains of the city wall. Now here, 32 kilometers from Beirut, is the Arab city of Jbeil.

Aleppo, Syria. Archaeologists believe that people settled here in 4300 BC. Today this city is the most populated in Syria, the number of inhabitants in it is approaching 4 million. Previously, it was known under the names Halpe or Khalibon. For many centuries, Aleppo was the third largest city in the Ottoman Empire, second only to Constantinople and Cairo. The origin of the city's name is not entirely clear. Presumably "haleb" means copper or iron. The fact is that in ancient times there was a large center for their production. In Aramaic, "halaba" means "white", which is associated with the color of the soil in this area and the abundance of marble rocks. And Aleppo got its current name from the Italians, who visited here with the Crusades. Ancient Aleppo is evidenced by Hittite inscriptions, Mari inscriptions in the Euphrates, in central Anatolia and in the city of Ebla. These ancient texts speak of the city as an important military and commercial center. For the Hittites, Aleppo was of particular importance, as it was the center of worship for the weather god. Economically, the city has always been an important place. The Great Silk Road passed here. Aleppo has always been a tidbit for invaders - it belonged to the Greeks, Persians, Assyrians, Romans, Arabs, Turks and even the Mongols. It was here that the great Tamerlane ordered the erection of a tower of 20,000 skulls. With the opening of the Suez Canal, Aleppo's role as a trading center has become smaller. Currently, this city is experiencing a renaissance, it is one of the most beautiful places in the Middle East.

Damascus, Syria. Many believe. That Damascus is worthy of the title of the oldest city in the world. Although there is an opinion that people lived here 12 thousand years ago, another date of settlement looks more truthful - 4300 BC. The medieval Arab historian Ibn Asakir in XII claimed that after Flood The Damascus Wall was the first wall erected. He attributed the birth of the city to the 4th millennium BC. The first historical evidence of Damascus dates back to the 15th century BC. Then the city was under the rule of Egypt and its pharaohs. Later, Damascus was part of Assyria, the Neo-Babylonian kingdom, Persia, the empire of Alexander the Great, and after his death, it was part of the Hellenistic kingdom of the Seleucids. The heyday of the city fell on the era of the Arameans. They created a whole network of water channels in the city, which today are the basis of the modern water supply networks of Damascus. The urban agglomeration today has 2.5 million people. In 2008, Damascus was recognized as the cultural capital of the Arab world.

Susa, Iran. The settlement in this place is already 6200 years old. And the first traces of a man in Susa date back to 7000 BC. The city is located on the territory of the modern province of Khuzestan, in Iran. Susa entered the history as the capital of the ancient state of Elam. The Sumerians wrote about the city in their early documents. Thus, the works “Enmerkar and the Ruler of Aratta” say that Susa was dedicated to the deity Inanna, the patroness of Uruk. There are numerous references to the ancient city in the Old Testament, especially often its name is found in the Scriptures. The prophets Daniel and Nehemiah lived here during the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC, in the city Esther became a queen and saved from persecution by a Jew. The state of the Elamites ceased to exist with the victories of Ashurbanipal, Susa itself was plundered, which happened far from the first time. The son of Cyrus the Great made Susa the capital of the Persian kingdom. However, this state also ceased to exist, thanks to Alexander the Great. The city has lost its former significance. Muslims and Mongols later walked along Susa with destruction, as a result, life in it barely flickered. Today the city is called Shusha, about 65 thousand people live in it.

Faiyum, Egypt. This city has a history of 6 millennia. It is located southwest of Cairo, in the oasis of the same name, occupying part of Crocodilopolis. In this ancient place, the Egyptians worshiped the sacred Sebek, the crocodile god. The pharaohs of the 12th dynasty liked to visit Faiyum, then the city was called Shedit. This fact follows from the remains of funerary pyramids and temples found by Flinders Petrie. Faiyum was home to the famous Labyrinth described by Herodotus. Quite a lot of archaeological finds have been found in this area. But world fame went to the Fayum drawings. They were made using the technique of enacaustics and were funerary portraits from the time of Roman Egypt. Currently, the population of the city of El Faiyum is more than 300 thousand people.

Sidon, Lebanon. People founded their first settlement here in 4000 BC. Sidon is located 25 kilometers south of Beirut on the coast mediterranean sea. This city was one of the most significant and oldest Phoenician cities. It was he who was the heart of that empire. In the X-IX centuries BC. Sidon was the largest trading center of that world. In the Bible, he was called "the firstborn of Canaan", the brother of the Amorite and the Hittite. It is believed that both Jesus and the apostle Paul visited Sidon. And in 333 BC. The city was captured by Alexander the Great. Today the city is called Saida and is inhabited by Shiite and Sunni Muslims. It is the third largest city in Lebanon with a population of 200,000 people.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria. This city also arose in 4000 BC. Today it is the second largest in Bulgaria and one of the oldest in Europe. Even Athens, Rome, Carthage and Constantinople are younger than Plovdiv. The Roman historian Ammian Marcellinus said that the Thracians gave the first name to this settlement - Evmolpiada. In 342 BC. the city was conquered by Philip II of Macedon, the father of the legendary conqueror. In honor of himself, the king named the settlement Philippopolis, while the Thracians pronounced this word as Pulpudeva. Since the 6th century, the city began to be controlled Slavic tribes. In 815, he became part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom under the name Pyldin. For the next few centuries, these lands changed hands from the Bulgarians to the Byzantines, until the Ottoman Turks captured it for a long time. Crusaders came to Plovdiv four times and plundered the city. Nowadays the city is an important cultural center. There are many ruins here that testify to rich history. The Roman aqueduct and amphitheater, as well as the Ottoman baths, stand out here. About 370 thousand people now live in Plovdiv.

Gaziantep, Turkey. This settlement appeared around 3650 BC. It is located in the south of Turkey, near the Syrian border. Gaziantep takes its history from the time of the Hittites. Until February 1921, the city was called Antep, and the Turkish parliament gave the prefix Gazi to the inhabitants for their merits during the battles for the country's independence. Today, more than 800 thousand people live here. Gaziantep is one of the most important ancient centers in the southeast of Anatolia. This city lies between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia. Here the roads between the south, north, west and east intersected, and the Great Silk Road passed. Until now, in Gaziantep you can find historical relics from the times of the Assyrians, the Hittites, the era of Alexander the Great. With the rise of the Ottoman Empire, the city also experienced prosperity.

Beirut, Lebanon. In Beirut, people began to live 3 thousand years before the birth of Christ. Today this city is the capital of Lebanon, the economic, cultural and administrative center of the country. And the Phoenicians founded Lebanon, choosing rocky land in the middle of the Mediterranean coast of the modern territory of Lebanon. It is believed that the name of the city comes from the word "birot", meaning "well". For a long time, Beirut remained in the background in the region, behind more significant neighbors - Tire and Sidon. It was not until the era of the Roman Empire that the city became influential. There was a famous legal school here, which developed the basic postulates of the Code of Justinian. Over time, this document will become the basis European system rights. In 635, the Arabs occupied Beirut, incorporating the city into the Arab Caliphate. In 1100, the Crusaders captured the city, and in 1516, the Turks. Until 1918, Beirut was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the last century, the city with a glorious history has become an important cultural, financial and intellectual center in the Eastern Mediterranean. And since 1941, Beirut has become the capital of a new independent state - the Lebanese Republic.

Jerusalem, Israel/Palestinian Territories. This great city without a doubt was founded in 2800 BC. Jerusalem was able to become both the spiritual center of the Jewish people and the third holy city of Islam. In the town big number important religious sites, including the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher al-Aqsa. It is not surprising that Jerusalem was constantly trying to conquer. As a result, the history of the city has 23 sieges, 52 attacks. It was captured 44 times and destroyed 2 times. The ancient city lies on the watershed between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, in the spurs of the Judean Mountains at an altitude of 650-840 meters above sea level. The first settlements in this area date back to the 4th millennium BC. In the Old Testament, Jerusalem is spoken of as the capital of the Jebusites. This population lived in Judea even before the Jews. It was they who founded the city, populating it initially. There is also a mention of Jerusalem on Egyptian figurines of the 20th-19th centuries BC. There, among the curses against hostile cities, Rushalimum was also mentioned. In the XI century BC. Jerusalem was occupied by the Jews, who proclaimed it the capital of the kingdom of Israel, and from the 10th century BC. - Jewish. After 400 years, the city was captured by Babylon, then it was ruled by the Persian Empire. Jerusalem changed owners many times - they were Romans, Arabs, Egyptians, Crusaders. From 1517 to 1917 the city was part of the Ottoman Empire, after which it came under the jurisdiction of Great Britain. Now Jerusalem with a population of 800 thousand people is the capital of Israel.

Tire, Lebanon. This city was founded in 2750 BC. Tire was a famous Phoenician city, a major trading center. The date of its foundation was named by Herodotus himself. And there was a settlement on the territory of modern Lebanon. In 332 B.C. Tire was taken by the troops of Alexander the Great, this required a seven-month siege. From 64 BC Tire became a Roman province. It is believed that the apostle Paul lived here for some time. In the Middle Ages, Tire was known as one of the most impregnable fortresses in the Middle East. It was in this city that Frederick Barbarossa, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, was buried in 1190. Now, on the site of a great ancient settlement, there is a small town of Sur. It no longer has any special significance; trade began to be conducted through Beirut.

Erbil, Iraq. This settlement is already 4300 years old. It is located north of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Erbil is the capital of the Iraqi unrecognized state of Kurdistan. This city throughout its history belonged to different peoples - Assyrians, Persians, Sassanids, Arabs and Turks. Archaeological studies have confirmed that people have lived in this area without a break for more than 6 thousand years. The most eloquent evidence of this is the hill of the Citadel. It is the remains of former settlements. There was a wall around it, which was created in pre-Islamic times. When Erbil was under the rule of the Persians, Greek sources called it Hawler or Arbela. The Royal Road passed through it, which went from the very center of the Persian center to the coast of the Aegean Sea. Erbil was also a transit point on the Great Silk Road. Until now, the ancient city citadel, 26 meters high, is visible from afar.

Kirkuk, Iraq. This city appeared in 2200 BC. It is located 250 kilometers north of Baghdad. Kirkuk is located on the site of the ancient Hurrian and Assyrian capital of Arrapha. The city had an important strategic position, so three empires fought for it at once - Babylon, Assyria and Media. It was they who shared control over Kirkuk for a long time. Even today, there are still ruins that are 4,000 years old. The modern city, thanks to its proximity to the richest field, has become the oil capital of Iraq. About a million people live here today.

Balkh, Afghanistan. This ancient city appeared around the 15th century BC. Balkh became the first large settlement that the Indo-Aryans created during their transition from the Amu Darya. This city became a large and traditional center of Zoroastrianism, it is believed that it was here that Zarathustra was born. In late antiquity, Balkh became an important center for the Hinayana. Historians said that in the 7th century there were more than a hundred Buddhist monasteries in the city, only 30 thousand monks lived in them alone. The largest temple was Navbahar, its name in Sanskrit means "new monastery". There was a huge Buddha statue there. In 645, the city was first captured by the Arabs. However, after the robbery, they left Balkh. In 715, the Arabs returned here, having already settled in the city for a long time. The further history of Balkh knew the arrival of the Mongols and Timur, nevertheless, even Marco Polo, describing the city, called it "great and worthy." In the XVI-XIX centuries, the Persians, the Bukhara Khanate and the Afghans fought for Balkh. Bloody wars ended only with the transfer of the city under the authority of the Afghan Emir in 1850. Today this place is considered the center of the cotton industry, leather is well dressed here, getting "Persian sheepskin". And 77 thousand people live in the city.

The list of the oldest cities in the world includes settlements in which people have constantly lived from ancient times to the present day. It is quite difficult to determine which of them appeared earlier, since it is customary in scientific circles to distinguish between the concepts of “urban-type settlement” and “city”.

For example, Byblos was already inhabited in the 17th century. BC e., but received the status of a city only in the III century. BC e. For this reason, there is no single point of view on the question of whether it can be considered the oldest in the world. In the same ambiguous position are Jericho and Damascus.

In addition to the top three, there are other ancient cities in the world. They are located in all corners of the world.

The most ancient cities of East Asia

The most ancient cities East Asia, Beijing and Xi'an are located in China. This country rightfully belongs to the most ancient civilizations in the world. There are practically no dark spots in its history, since it is recorded in written sources, so it is relatively easy to establish the dates of the founding of settlements.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital and largest political, educational and cultural center of the People's Republic of China. Its original name is literally translated into Russian as "Northern Capital". This phrase corresponds to the status of the city and its location today.

The first cities in the area of ​​modern Beijing appeared in the 1st century BC. BC e. First, the capital of the kingdom of Yan - Ji (473-221 BC) was located there, then the Liao empire established its own southern capital- Nanjing (938). In 1125, the city passed into the administration of the Jurchen Empire Jin and was named Zhongdu.

In the XIII century, after the Mongols burned the settlement, and it was rebuilt, the city received two names at once: "Dadu" and "Khanbalik". The first is in Chinese, the second is in Mongolian. It is the second option that is reflected in the notes of Marco Polo, which remained after his trip to China.

Beijing received its modern name only in 1421. Historians believe that in the period from the 4th to the beginning of the 19th century. it was one of the largest cities in the world. During this time, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, deprived of the status of the capital, and then returned to it. Empires also changed, under whose possession the old settlement fell, but people continued to live there.

At present, the population of Beijing is almost 22 million people. 95% of them are native Chinese, the remaining 5% are Mongols, Chuer, Hui. This number includes only people who have a residence permit in the city, but there are also those who came to work. The official language here is Chinese.

The city is considered a cultural and educational center. There are many architectural monuments, museums, parks and gardens. There are more than 50 higher educational institutions, within the walls of which Russian citizens are also educated. lovers nightlife you won’t be bored either - in the capital of China there are several areas with popular night bars.

Top attractions in Beijing:

Interesting facts about the capital of China:

• The government has spent $44 billion to prepare Olympic Games in 2008. To date, this is the world's largest spending on sport's event.
• There are 980 buildings on the territory of the Forbidden City, according to researchers, all of them are divided into 9999 rooms.
• The Beijing subway is considered the 2nd longest in the world.

The northern capital of China does not claim to be the most ancient city in the world, but the history of its formation is still of interest to scientists.

Xi'an

Xi'an is a city in the People's Republic of China located in Shaanxi Province. He is over 3 thousand years old. For some time it was considered one of the largest in the world in terms of area and number of inhabitants.

In the II century. BC e. The Great Silk Road ran through the city. At that time, it was called "Chang'an", which translates as "long peace."

Like Beijing, the city was destroyed several times during wartime, and then rebuilt again. The name has also changed several times. The modern version took hold in 1370.

According to 2006 data, more than 7 million people live in Xi'an. By government decree in 1990, the city was transformed into a cultural, educational and industrial center. Here is the largest aircraft manufacturing center.

Attractions in Xi'an:

Interesting facts about the capital of Shaanxi Province:

• Xi'an remained the capital of China during 13 consecutive imperial dynasties. This is the longest time.
• Here is the city wall, which is more than 3 thousand years old. For such a period, it is quite well preserved.
• During the reign of the Tang Dynasty (7th-9th centuries), the city was the most populated in the world.

Xi'an has long ceased to be the actual capital of the PRC, but thanks to its rich history spanning several centuries, it continues to be the main cultural center.

The oldest cities in the Middle East

There are three ancient cities in the Middle East at once: Balkh, Luxor and El Fayoum. The researchers came to the conclusion that all of them were founded no earlier than the 1st century BC. BC e. They are of interest both from a historical and cultural point of view.

Balkh

Balkh is a city located in the province of the same name in Pakistan. It is believed that it was founded in 1500 BC. e. during the resettlement of Indo-Iranians from the Amu Darya region.

During the heyday Silk Road its population reached 1 million, now this figure has decreased significantly. According to 2006 data, only 77 thousand people live in the city.

Until the beginning of the Hellenistic era, the city was considered the largest spiritual center. According to legend, it was there that Zarathustra, the founder of Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest religious teachings in the world, was born.

In 1933, Balkh became one of the 3 Afghan cities where Jews were allowed to live. It was forbidden to leave the settlement without urgent need. A kind of Jewish ghetto was formed here because the representatives of this people preferred to settle separately from the rest. As of 2000, the Jewish community in the city has disintegrated.

Attractions:

• Tomb of Khoja Parsa;
• Madrassah of Said Subkhankulikhan;
• Grave of Robiai Balkhi;
• Masjidi Nuh Gumbad.

Interesting facts about the city:

• In 1220, Balkh was destroyed by Genghis Khan and lay in ruins for almost a century and a half.
• The first Jewish community in the city was founded in 568 BC. e., there, as the legend says, the Jews expelled from Jerusalem settled.
• The main local attraction, the Green Mosque or the Tomb of Khoja Parsa, was built in the 15th century.

Currently, this settlement is considered a major center of the textile industry.

Luxor

Luxor is a city located in Upper Egypt. Part of it lies on the east bank of the Nile. Was known as "Uaset" in ancient world. It occupies a place where, according to historical data, the capital of Ancient Egypt, Thebes, was located. Five centuries have passed since its foundation. It is considered the largest museum under open sky, so it is now a tourist center.

Luxor is conditionally divided into two districts - the "City of the Living" and the "City of the Dead". Most of the people live in the first region, in the second, due to the huge number of historical monuments, there are practically no settlements.

According to 2012 data, the population of Luxor is 506 thousand people. Almost all of them are Arabs by nationality.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• in 1997, members of the Islamist group Al-Gamaa-Al-Islamiya staged the so-called Luxor massacre in the city, during which 62 tourists died;
• in summer the temperature reaches + 50 °C in the shade;
• at one time the city was called "the hundred gates of Thebes".

Now Luxor receives the main income from tourists.

El Fayoum

El Faiyum is a city in Middle Egypt. Located in the oasis of the same name. Around it lies the Libyan desert. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the city was founded more in the 4th century. BC e. Its modern name comes from the Coptic language and means "lake" in translation.

The city was the administrative center in ancient Egypt. At that time, he bore the name Shedet, which literally translates as "sea." The settlement got its name due to the fact that on its territory there was an artificial lake Merida, in the waters of which crocodiles were bred to honor the Egyptian god Sebek.

AT historical documents the city is also found under the name Crocodilopolis.

At present, the population of El Faiyum is about 13 thousand people. The city is an agricultural center. Olives, grapes, sugarcane, dates, rice, corn are grown on its fields. Also here are engaged in the production of rose oil.

The city's attractions:

Interesting El Fayoum Facts:

• the national symbol of the province in which the city is located - 4 water wheels;
• the Catholic Church currently believes that it has no power over the city, although it was once a religious center;
• Merida Lake was dug almost 4 centuries ago.

It was in El Faiyum that funeral portraits dated to the 1st-3rd centuries were first found. In honor of the city, they received the name "Fayum".

The most ancient cities in Europe

The oldest city in the world, if we consider its European part, is Athens. Its name is known to every person. But there are other ancient settlements in Europe, for example, Mantua and Plovdiv, which are far from being so famous.

Athens

Athens is one of the most famous and oldest cities in Greece, the capital of the state. It was founded around the 7th century. BC e. The first written monuments that were discovered there date back to 1600 BC. e., but it is known for certain that people lived in Athens long before that time.

The name of the settlement was in honor of its patroness - the goddess of war and wisdom Athena. In the 5th century BC e. it became a city-state. It was there that the model of a democratic society first appeared, which is still considered ideal.

In Athens, such famous philosophers and writers as Sophocles, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides, Plato were born. The ideas highlighted in their works are relevant to this day.

As of 2011, the population in Athens reached 3 million people, which is about a third of the total population of Greece.

The city center, where the Athenian Acropolis was once located, is now a favorite tourist destination. Most of the ancient buildings were wiped off the face of the earth by time and wars, modern ones were built in their place. multi-story houses. One of the largest European higher educational institutions, the Athens Polytechnic University, is located here.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• the most popular sports in Athens are basketball and football;
• in Greek the city is called "Athena", not "Athens";
• the settlement is considered the birthplace of the theater.

Now in the capital of Greece there are many museums where you can get acquainted with unique monuments visual arts relating to the II-III century. BC e.

Mantova

Mantua is an Italian city founded in the 6th century. BC e. It is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Mincio River, which is rather unusual, as builders usually try to avoid swampy areas.

For a long time, Mantua was considered the city of art. This is where he started his career. famous artist Rubens is the author of the paintings "The Entombment", "Hercules and Omphala", "Exaltation of the Cross". In the XVII-XVIII centuries. From the haven of cultural figures, the city was re-qualified into an impregnable bastion.

The population of Mantua, according to 2004 data, amounted to 48 thousand people. Currently, the city is a tourist center, as it has preserved many architectural monuments from different centuries.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• in one of the suburbs of Mantua, Virgil was born - the creator of the Aeneid, one of the most famous ancient Roman poets;
• in 1739 Charles de Brosse, a French historian, wrote that the city could only be approached from one side, as it was surrounded by swamps;
• The historic center of Mantua is a World Heritage Site.

The patron saint of the city is Saint Anselm, who was not officially canonized. His memorial day falls on March 18. At the same time, residents celebrate City Day.

Plovdiv

The oldest city in the world, located on the territory modern Europe, according to historian Dennis Rodwell, - Plovdiv. Now it is considered the second largest in Bulgaria. Once the city bore the names "Filippopolis" and "Filibe". The first settlements on its territory appeared in the VI century. BC e., during the Neolithic period.

At the beginning of World War II, the city took a central place in organizing support for the union of the USSR and Bulgaria. In 1941, the city was occupied by the Germans, as Bulgaria entered into an alliance with Germany. However, the resistance of the inhabitants was not completely suppressed. A reconnaissance group was operating in the city, in February 1943 it was defeated.

Currently, Plovdiv is the second most populated city in Bulgaria. 367 thousand people live in it. The city has a developed industry: agricultural, food and flavoring, clothing, non-ferrous metallurgy. It also houses the only factory in the country that produces cigarette filters and paper.

Attractions:

Interesting facts:

• in Plovdiv there is a whole street with workshops that belong to hereditary artisans;
• annually the International Plovdiv Fair is held here, which is popular throughout Europe;
• Bulgarian astronomer, Violetta Ivanova, discovered an asteroid, which she named after the city.

Every year Plovdiv hosts an international boxing championship.

The oldest cities in the Middle East

In the Middle East, there are two settlements at once that claim to be the oldest city in the world - Byblos and Jericho.

bible

Byblos is an ancient Phoenician city, which is located on the territory of modern Lebanon, not far from the Mediterranean Sea. It is currently called "Jbeil".

Historical finds indicate that Byblos was already inhabited in the 7th century. BC e., during the Neolithic period. But the city was recognized only after 4 centuries. And the ancient era was considered the oldest settlement, but now its status is controversial.

The oldest city in the world, according to some scientists, Byblos is located on a well-protected hill, around which there is a lot of fertile soil, so this place was inhabited in the Neolithic era. But, for some unknown reason, by the arrival of the Phoenicians in the 4th century. BC e. there were no more inhabitants left, so the new arrivals did not have to fight for territory.

In the ancient world, the specialty of the city was the trade in papyrus. From its name came the words "byblos" (translated as "papyrus") and "bible" (translated as "book").

Currently, only 3 thousand people live in Byblos. Most of them adhere to Catholic and Muslim religious views. The city is one of the main tourist centers of Lebanon.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• the biblical alphabet has not yet been deciphered, since there are too few inscriptions on it, and there are no analogues in the world;
• Egyptian language long time was official in the city;
• Egyptian myths say that it was in Byblos that the goddess Isis found the body of Osiris in a wooden box.

The city is located 32 km. from the current capital of Lebanon - Beirut.

Jericho

The oldest city in the world, according to most scientists, is Jericho. The first traces of habitation that were found there date back to the 9th century. BC e. The oldest city fortifications that have been discovered were built at the end of the 7th century. BC e.

Jericho is located on the territory of modern Palestine, in the region of the western bank of the Jordan River. It is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible, not only under its original name, but also as the "city of palm trees."

In the middle of the XIX century. on a hill near the Jordan River, excavations began, the purpose of which was to search for the ancient remains of Jericho. The first attempts did not give any results. But at the beginning of the 20th century, the hill was completely excavated.

It turned out that in its depths lay layers architectural structures relating to 7 different time periods. After repeated destruction, the city gradually moved to the south, which is why this phenomenon arose. The population of modern Jericho is only 20 thousand inhabitants.

The city, which is considered the oldest in the world, has been closed to the public since 2000, after armed uprisings in Palestine. In exceptional cases, management Israeli army gives tourists the go-ahead to visit.

Attractions:

• ruins of ancient Jericho;
• Forty Day Mountain;
• tree of Zacchaeus.

Interesting Facts:

• in Hebrew, the name of the city sounds like "Yeriho", and in Arabic - "Eriha";
• this is one of the oldest settlements in which people lived continuously;
• Jericho is mentioned not only in the Bible, but also in the works of Flavius, Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny - they are all ancient Roman writers and scientists.

Supporters of the separation of the concepts of "city" and "urban settlement" believe that only Damascus, the capital, can compete with Jericho in age modern Syria.

What is the oldest city in Russia?

Until 2014, Derbent, located in the southern part of the Republic of Dagestan, was considered the most ancient city in Russia. The first mention of a settlement on its territory dates back to the 6th century. BC e. The city itself was founded in the 5th century. n. e.

In 2017, after joining Crimean peninsula, the oldest city in Russia began to be considered Kerch. On its territory, sites dating back to the 8th century were discovered. BC e. The first settlement appeared in the 7th century. BC e. And the city itself was founded around the III century. BC e.

For the first time in Russian Empire Kerch entered at the end of the 8th century. as a result Russian-Turkish war. At that time, there was an active mining of shells and limestone for construction needs. By the beginning of the XX century. deposits of iron ore were discovered under the city, which played a big role in economic development cities.

Currently, the population of Kerch is 150 thousand people. Tourists often come to the city, as it is located at the junction of the Azov and Black Seas. Also, the city continues to be one of the largest shipbuilding and metal foundry centers.

Attractions:

• Royal mound;
• Tiritaka;
• Yeni-Kale fortress;
• Merimekey;
• Nymphaeum.

Interesting Facts:

Although the title of the oldest city in the world is difficult to award to only one locality, scientists were able to identify several leaders: Jericho, Byblos and Damascus.

The leading position is currently occupied by Jericho, but other cities deserve no less interest.

Article formatting: Vladimir the Great

Video about the oldest city in the world

The oldest city in the world:

Many ancient cities claim the right to be called the first city of the Earth. But above all, this definition refers to Jericho - an oasis near the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. The city of Jericho, widely known from the Bible, is located here - the very one whose walls once fell from the sound of the trumpets of Joshua.

According to biblical tradition, the Israelites began the conquest of Canaan from Jericho, and after the death of Moses, under the leadership of Joshua, they crossed the Jordan and stood at the walls of this city. The townspeople, who took refuge behind the walls of the city, were convinced that the city was impregnable. But the Israelis used an extraordinary military stratagem. They circled the city walls in a silent crowd six times, and on the seventh they shouted in unison and blew their trumpets, so loudly that the formidable walls collapsed. This is where the expression "trumpet of Jericho" came from.

Jericho is fed by the powerful source of Ain es-Sultan ("Spring of the Sultan"), to which the city owes its origin. The Arabs call the name of this source a hill to the north of modern Jericho - Tell es-Sultan ("Mountain of the Sultan"). Already at the end of the 19th century, it attracted the attention of archaeologists and is still considered one of the most important sites of archaeological finds of objects from the early historical period.

In 1907 and 1908, a group of German and Austrian researchers led by professors Ernst Sellin and Karl Watzinger began excavations for the first time at Mount Sultana. They came across two parallel fortified walls built of sun-dried bricks. The outer wall had a thickness of 2 m and a height of 8-10 m, and the thickness of the inner wall reached 3.5 m.

Archaeologists have determined that these walls were built between 1400 and 1200 BC. e. It is understandable that they were quickly identified with the walls that the Bible says were torn down by the mighty trumpets of the Israelite tribes. However, during excavations, archaeologists came across a layer construction debris, which were of even greater interest to science than the finds that confirmed the Bible's information about the war. But the first World War suspended further research.

More than twenty years passed before a group of Englishmen under the leadership of Professor John Garstang were able to continue their research. New excavations began in 1929 and continued for about ten years. 1935-1936. Garstang came across the lowest layers of a Stone Age settlement. He discovered a cultural layer older than the 5th millennium BC. e., referring to the time when people did not yet know pottery. But the people of this era already led a sedentary lifestyle.

The work of the Garstang expedition was interrupted due to the difficult political situation. And only after the end of World War II did English archaeologists return to Jericho again. This time the expedition was led by Dr. Kathleen M. Canyon, whose activities are associated with all further discoveries in this ancient city of the world. To participate in the excavations, the British invited German anthropologists who had been working in Jericho for several years.

In 1953, archaeologists led by Kathleen Canyon made an outstanding discovery that completely changed our understanding of early history humanity. The researchers made their way through 40 (!) Cultural layers and found structures of the Neolithic period with huge buildings dating back to the time when, it would seem, only nomadic tribes should have lived on Earth, earning their livelihood by hunting and gathering plants and fruits. The results of the excavations showed that about 10 thousand years ago, a qualitative leap was made in the eastern Mediterranean, associated with the transition to the artificial cultivation of cereals. This led to drastic changes in culture and lifestyle.

The discovery of early agricultural Jericho became an archeological sensation in the 1950s. Systematic excavations here have unearthed a number of successive layers, combined into two complexes - pre-ceramic Neolithic A (VIII millennium BC) and pre-ceramic Neolithic B (VII millennium BC). Today, Jericho A is considered the first urban-type settlement discovered in the Old World. Here are found the earliest known to science buildings of a permanent type, burial places and sanctuaries, built of earth or small rounded unbaked bricks.

The pre-ceramic Neolithic A settlement occupied an area of ​​about 4 hectares and was surrounded by a powerful defensive wall made of stone. A massive round stone tower adjoined it. Initially, the researchers assumed that this was the tower of the fortress wall. But obviously, it was not a special purpose building, combining many functions, including the function of a guard post to control the surroundings.

Under the protection of a stone wall were round, tent-like houses on stone foundations with walls made of mud brick, one surface of which was convex (this type of brick is called "pig's back"). In order to more accurately determine the age of these structures, the latest scientific methods were applied, for example, the radiocarbon (radiocarbon) method. Atomic physicists in the study of isotopes found that it is possible to determine the age of objects by the ratio of radioactive and stable isotopes of carbon. By sounding, it was found that the most ancient walls of this city belong to the VIII millennium, that is, their age is about 10 thousand years. The sanctuary discovered as a result of excavations had an even more ancient age - 9551 BC. e.

There is no doubt that Jericho A, with its sedentary population and developed construction business, was one of the first early agricultural settlements on Earth. Based on many years of research conducted here, historians have received a completely new picture of the development and technical capabilities that mankind had 10 thousand years ago. The transformation of Jericho from a small primitive settlement with miserable huts and huts into a real city with an area of ​​at least 3 hectares and a population of more than 2,000 people is associated with the transition of the local population from a simple gathering of edible cereals to agriculture - growing wheat and barley. At the same time, the researchers found that this revolutionary step was not taken as a result of some kind of introduction from the outside, but was the result of the development of the tribes that lived here: archaeological excavations Jericho showed that in the period between the culture of the original settlement and the culture of the new city, which was built at the turn of the 9th and 8th millennium BC. e., life here did not stop.

At first, the town was not fortified, but with the advent of strong neighbors, fortress walls were needed to protect against attacks. The appearance of fortifications speaks not only of the confrontation of various tribes, but also of the accumulation by the inhabitants of Jericho of certain material assets that attracted the greedy eyes of neighbors. What were these values? Archaeologists have answered this question as well. Probably, the main source of income for the townspeople was barter: a well-located city controlled the main resources of the Dead Sea - salt, bitumen and sulfur. Obsidian, jade and diorite from Anatolia, turquoise from the Sinai Peninsula, cowrie shells from the Red Sea were found in the ruins of Jericho - all these goods were highly valued during the Neolithic period.

The fact that Jericho was a powerful urban center is evidenced by its defensive fortifications. Without the use of picks and hoes, a ditch 8.5 m wide and 2.1 m deep was cut in the rock. A stone wall 1.64 m thick was filled behind the ditch, preserved to a height of 3.94 m. Its original height probably reached 5 m, and above there was a laying of mud bricks.

During the excavations, a large round stone tower with a diameter of 7 m was discovered, preserved to a height of 8.15 m, with an internal staircase carefully built from solid stone slabs a meter wide. The tower housed a storehouse for grain and clayed cisterns to collect rainwater.

The stone tower of Jericho was probably built at the beginning of the 8th millennium BC. e. and lasted for a very long time. When it ceased to be used for its intended purpose, crypts for burials began to be arranged in its internal passage, and the former vaults were used as dwellings. These premises were often rebuilt. One of them, which died in a fire, dates back to 6935 BC. e After that, in the history of the tower, archaeologists counted four more periods of existence, and then the city wall collapsed and began to erode. Apparently, the city was already empty at that time.

The construction of a powerful defensive system required a huge expenditure of labor, the use of a significant labor force and the presence of some central authority to organize and direct the work. Researchers estimate the population of this world's first city at 2,000, and this figure may be an underestimate.

What did these first citizens of the Earth look like and how did they live? An analysis of the skulls and bone remains found in Jericho showed that 10 thousand years ago, undersized people with elongated skulls (dolichocephals), who belonged to the so-called Euro-African race, lived here 10 thousand years ago. They built oval dwellings from lumps of clay, the floors of which were deepened below ground level. He entered the house through a doorway with wooden jambs. Several steps led down. Most of the houses consisted of a single round or oval room with a diameter of 4–5 m, covered with a vault of intertwined rods. The ceiling, walls and floor were plastered with clay. The floors in the houses were carefully leveled, sometimes painted and polished.

The inhabitants of ancient Jericho used stone and bone tools, did not know ceramics and ate wheat and barley, the grains of which were ground on stone grain grinders with stone pestles. From rough food, consisting of cereals and pods, pounded in stone mortars, these people completely wore out their teeth. Despite a more comfortable habitat than that of primitive hunters, their life was exceptionally hard, and average age inhabitants of Jericho did not exceed 20 years. Child mortality was very high, and only a few lived to be 40-45 years old. There were apparently no people older than this age in ancient Jericho at all.

The townspeople buried their dead right under the floors of their dwellings, putting iconic plaster masks on their skulls with cowrie shells inserted into the eyes of the masks. It is curious that in the oldest graves of Jericho (6500 BC), archaeologists for the most part find headless skeletons. Apparently, the skulls were separated from the corpses and buried separately. The cult cutting off of the head is known in many parts of the world and has been encountered up to our time. Here in Jericho, scholars have encountered what appears to be one of the earliest manifestations of this cult.

During this "pre-pottery" period, the inhabitants of Jericho did not use earthenware - they were replaced by stone vessels, carved mainly from limestone. Probably, the townspeople also used all kinds of wickerwork and leather receptacles like wineskins. Not knowing how to sculpt earthenware, ancient inhabitants Jericho, at the same time, animal figurines and other images were sculpted from clay. In residential buildings and tombs of Jericho, many clay figurines of animals, as well as stucco images of the phallus, were found. Cult masculine was widespread in ancient Palestine, and its images are found in other places.

In one of the layers of Jericho, archaeologists discovered a kind of front hall with six wooden pillars. Probably, it was a sanctuary - a primitive predecessor of the future temple. Inside this room and in the immediate vicinity of it, archaeologists did not find any household items, but they found numerous clay figurines of animals - horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs and models of male genital organs.

The most amazing discovery in Jericho was the stucco figures of people. They are made from local limestone clay called hawara with a reed frame. These figurines are of normal proportions, but flat frontal. Nowhere, except for Jericho, have archaeologists encountered such figurines before. In one of the prehistoric layers of Jericho, life-size group sculptures of men, women and children were also found. For their manufacture, clay similar to cement was used, which was smeared on a reed frame. These figures were still very primitive and planar: after all, for many centuries plastic art was preceded by rock paintings or images on the walls of caves. The figures found show what great interest the inhabitants of Jericho showed in the miracle of the origin of life and the creation of a family, ”this was one of the first and most powerful impressions of prehistoric man.

The appearance of Jericho - the first urban center - testifies to the emergence of high forms public organization. Even the invasion of more backward tribes from the north in the 5th millennium BC could not interrupt this process, which eventually led to the creation of highly developed ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Near East.

On this day:

• Days of death
• 1886 Died Friedrich Samoylovich Bayern- Russian naturalist and archaeologist, researcher of the Samtavr burial ground in the Caucasus.
• 1960 Died - leading English archaeologist of the first half of the 20th century; conducted excavations of the monuments of the material culture of Sumer, Ancient Egypt, Syria, Nubia, ancient Anatolia, the explorer of Ur.
• 1963 Died Konstantin Mikhailovich Polikarpovich- Belarusian Soviet archaeologist, founder of the study of the Stone Age in the Upper Dnieper region.